since 12/15/98		Columns::April 15, 2002 Weekly Reader Book explores politics of North Korea $49.95 Lynne Rienner Publishers Despite isolation, an impoverished economy, mass starvation and the challenge of leadership succession, North Korea’s socialist state continues to survive. In North Korea: The Politics of Unconventional Wisdom, UGA professor of political science Han Park explores the reasons for this resilience, concentrating on the implications of mass beliefs and political ideology for the country’s political life. Park, also director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues, begins with an examination of Juche, or self-reliance, the ideology that so pervasively penetrates the entire spectrum of North Korean society and guides political behavior at all levels. Drawing on personal interviews and on-site observations, he finds a belief system that is comparable to a theology, and a society that exhibits many characteristics of a religious community. It is Juche, Park concludes, that is the locus of North Korea’s political culture. Though far from proposing single-factor explanations of the North Korean system, he demonstrates that an understanding of the country’s doctrine of self-reliance is essential to understanding the country itself. UGA Today supports QuickTime, Flash, RealPlayer and Acrobat Reader (PDF files). Download information about these plug-ins. Affiliate icons for UGA Today COLUMNS ] UGA Today ] Subscribe ] News Bureau ] Office of Public Affairs Directory ] Photo Services ] Broadcast, Video & Photography ] Master Calendar] Columns ] Georgia Magazine ]Visitors Center ] UGA Home ] Alumni ] Admissions ] UGA Directories ] Sports ] Weather ] Search UGA sites ] Columns is produced by the UGA News Service, a unit of UGA Public Affairs. Beth Roberts: Columns editor, Juliett Dinkins: Columns managing editor, Janet Beckley: Columns art director. Peter Frey: Columns photo editor Questions or comments should be directed to columns@uga.edu Copyright 2001 University of Georgia. All rights reserved